West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1887-06-02
A DOMESTIC PROFILE NJ.
BY Lucy RANDALL coMronr.

"A woman'S education is a mistake
from beginning TO end, " said Roxy Ste
phcns, in a sudden outburSt Of despair
y cs, II is. Here have been going TO
school all my life, and don't know any-
thing. There never could have been. ("
Roxy deliberately added, "cven in the
Dark Ages, such an ignoramus as am.
don't even know how TO feed the chick
ems properly as a downy colony of little
'Dominiqucsn scattered this way and
that before the mass of scaldcd meal
which Roxy had flung too abruptly into
their midst, while the mother hen, sound
ing trumpet note of shrill alarm, scut-
'l"d back against the picket fence, with
Mapping wings and feathers all a-br.stlc.
hoNy had been seventeen years old
when She came TO live with hcraunt Sally
stephens on the Rcdbrook Farm. She
was brlght-halrcd. frcsh-compIcXioncd
girl, with shady blue eyes. emphasized
by perfectly arched brows a thought
heavier than falls TO the usual lot of wo-
mankind. In certain fashion her mind
correSpondcd to her eyebrows. There
r was quaint vein of originality pcrvadinp
II. Her nature was strongly outlined too.
and in the fulncss of her youth and vital
ity Sic had once believed that she was
born To conquer fate.
RoNanna Stephens was city-brcd Girl
the daughter of Miss Sally's oldest brother.
who bad died Unexpectedly, leaving a
mothcrlcsS girl totally unprovided for.
MISS Sally herself, n complaining little
woman, with u face full Of fine wrinkles,
Ike China cIapc, and blue ewes hidden
behlnd misty SpcCtaclcS, accepted the
trust, rs she had accepted al other in
conVcnicnccS of her life, Imply and with
out protest She had never had any
strong emotions one way or the other. If
she had any active pleasure it was in
gathering the humble herbs and simplcs
OF her native fields and drying them in
preparation for the aches and pains that
besct her poor humanity.
And TO this little old brown woman in
a little old brown farmhouse came
RoNanna, the young princess who had set
forth to conquer the world.
I'm dcsput glad you've come, Rox-
anna, said Miss Stephens, smiling at
bunch of wiltcd penny-royal u amt
able TO keep on doin' rs hey been doin'.
Somehow It's bone in upon me that
Providence has sent you I've worked
powerful hard all my life, and now III
Jest rest spell, and let you keep house for
me hain't no doubt at all but what
we'll get along together frst-rate, you
and me-
Roxy looked with solemn eyes at her
aunt. Evidently the old lady had faith
as grain Of mustaid-seed. and there was
something contagious in her example.
'It must be very easy 10 keep house,
said Roxy, fresh from The class room and
rccitation-haI SO the household helm
was delivered into her hands, and then
not till thcn--she realized the fact of her
exceeding ignorance.
Not for worlds however, would she
have confessed her inability to rule the
domestic mcnlgc. Aunt Sally had n
profound contempt for book -larnin.'"
and did not hesitate TO assert roul div
that "cf brother Simon had took her ad-
vice he would hcv brung up Roxanner in
quite different way, aud the Girl had
q certain silent pride in vindicating her
fathers judgment SO, by the help OF a
dogs-cared cookery book which she
found in the garrct, she learned some Of
the simple secrets of the cuisine. and her
own neat nature taught her the mysteries
OF sweeping aud scrubbing; while old
linda, jet black negress, with soft
appealing voice like flute, who per
vadcd the ncighborhood came twice in
household
And Roxy's spirits rose with her good
luck
lin getting to be house keeper" "
said she, chccrily TO herself chose
fried fish this morning tasted quite good.
and the wild pl,uns that I preserved
yesterday arc certainly going to be sue
cess"
But il it is salways darkest Just before
daylight, 1t is also sometimes brightest
before an unexpected thunder-cloud
And one day old Hinda bcthought her
self to feel VI Of q Monday morning-of
rheumatic fever
ROXY went 20 carry her a little paiI of
milk aud a stone crock Of the Wild plums.
for Kinda had a child-like fondncss for
sweets.
"Hinda,' she faltercd, "can't YOU
wash for nc this week. DO try there's
a good linda"
The old woman urigelcd herself about
on her uneasy couch wringing her hands.
and rolling up the yellow white OF her
cycDalls in pitcOus fashion
''Not dis Va week honey" She On.
swered, plaiutiycly; mot for de Queen
an all dc royal chilluns. No; nor next
week, nC1Gor Don knows Ill cher
wash agin, honey" with mournful
croak in her voice.
But linda, somebody must wash
Can't ~"
1T aint no work for young lady.
Miss Roxy said Hindu, dcridvciy
"E,crythingis work for Young lady.
pleaded Roxy. "if 30 has cot Co be done. 50
Hinda shook her head 'YoIl break
yo' back, honey mn parboil go hands,
an"
"Oh, ] don't mind an that. Hinda. If
only Aunt would think the clothes looked
DC emit urged Foxy. "TclI me how 10
do IL, llindl- there's % darling.
Well honey, so put dc clothes a-soak
de night afore, nwilhngly BEGAN
Hinda. lin plenty o bar soap sliced up
thin an yo' bile em well. an Won doan
forpit dc blueiu' am mind yo' doan cit
dc starch TOO still, an be suah yo' rcnsh
dc clothc right smart. an Oh OH dar
goes dc pain in my po' ole bones agin. les
all de world Ike cooked lightnin.
So oXy returned home not much
w scf han She went ord give all mv
al ehrl and geometry, sighed She III
only ! knew how o. wash
JOY # loys' as She went past Squire
Honeywell's big cream colored house she